The International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines strongly condemns the surveillance, intimidation and harassment of our partner organizations and colleagues in the Philippines by suspected military and police agents observed lurking in the vicinity of their office building in Quezon CIty (please see Urgent Alert released by KARAPATAN below).
We view this Urgent Alert with alarm, given the attacks on human rights defenders and peace advocates and activists in the Philippines in recent weeks and months, as well as the continuing vilification of government critics emanating from Malacanang Palace, and no less than from President Duterte himself.
We call on all our members and friends to train your eyes on the Philippines and express support (in every way we can) for the struggles of our dear Filipino brothers and sisters for just and lasting peace in their land.

Since this morning, national officers and staff members of Karapatan have observed increased presence and unusual activity of suspected military and police agents within the vicinity of Erythrina building, which houses the offices of Karapatan, National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers, Bayan and Kodao Productions, in Brgy. Central, Quezon City. Such forms of surveillance, intimidation, and harassment come in the wake of most recent rhetoric of President Duterte and Malacanang against human rights defenders, as well as recent arrests of peace advocates and activists. In course of these arrests, the routine planting of evidence has been among the most notorious practices of State authorities in their desperate attempt to justify the arbitrary or illegal arrests and detention of activists. We are warning government forces – stop harassing rights defenders, lawyers and alternative media practitioners; and do not plant evidence in our offices. We shall make you accountable in different fora in time.